darelthfandomcom-20200214-history
Harthak
General Location: The coast surrounding the Harthak Sea, from the Cape of Farewells on the west to Tharam Penisula on the east. Racial Mix: Sharakim 93% Human 2% Xeph 5% Religious Mix: Light 87% Three Fold Gods 0.5% Agnostic 8% Atheistic 3.5% Languages: Harthak, Aozarim, Xilgith, Xilxa Mounts Military Civilian Individual Dire Elk Dire Elk Draft Dire Elk Dire Elk Basic Architectural Style: Ornately carved stone, see text Basic Clothing Style: Fully covered, see text Gift and Rest Days: Name When Type Light's Ascension Midsummer Holiday Light's Shame Midwinter Holiday Light's Pleading Every new moon Holiday Light's Purification Every day at dawn Holiday Light's Testing Every day at dusk Holiday Countries Country Size Location Sharalat 3,780,000 The Cape of Farewells, straight to the mountains Theoralt 5,670,000 North along the coast from the Sharalat border to the Southern Milk River Harakal 3,240,000 The Harakal Plateau, between the two Milk Rivers Lysander 6,480,000 From the Northern Milk River to Lysander's River Talakath 4,320,000 From Lysander's River to the Finger Hills Harkath 2,160,000 From the Finger Hills to the east coast of the Tharam Penisula Tharam 1,350,000 The Tharam Penisula Total: 27,000,000 General Description The Sharakim of the Harthak region are very private, very dour, very religious, and highly value the ways of the pure warrior. The culture is mildly patriarchal, though females are given near-equal treatment. The only real bias in the culture against females is against their serving as grave attendants and warriors. The privacy of the culture is first observed in their manner of dress. A Harthak Sharakim does not reveal any skin, except that around their eyes and ears. They wear full boots, with tucked in trousers. The trousers are belted over a dark tunic. A thin scarf is wrapped many times around their neck and covers their mouth. They also wear a long, brightly colored, overtunic that drops to their knees and has long sleeves. They also wear long gloves that often are attached to, or are part of, the overtunic. Social status is associated with the amount of embroidery and decoration on the clothing, as well as the number of colors on the overtunic. Only priests and those deemed holy by others will wear a tunic with bright embroidery or decorations. The taboo against nudity, especially public nudity, is extremely strong, and only the most extreme of circumstances will force a Sharakim to break it. Only intimate friends will see an unconcealed mouth, and only lovers and spouses will see the more private areas. Harkath Sharakim males are always clean-shaven. The cultures surrounding the Harthak Sea extremely religious, and almost universally follow the Light. Only the most radical free-thinkers reject this to become agnostic or atheistic. The rare Xeph servants nurse a very underground version of their traditional religion. Whenever one of these shrines (or a worshipper) is discovered, their Sharakim masters destroy it with extreme prejudice, often expanding into a brief witch-hunt. The Harthak coast is home to an extremely large number of undead, which the Sharakim guard against with their most vigilant and skilled warriors. These warriors are some of the most honored men in Sharakim society, as much as the priests. The most honored are the Purified Souls. While rare, these special warriors (and their code) are emulated by the enitre culture. Naming Traditions The Sharakim follow their traditional naming conventions. Marriage Traditions The Sharakim recognize exactly one form of marriage - a permanent monogamous bond. Divorce is possible but extremely rare. A male can divorce a female only if she is barren. A female can only divorce a male if he fails to defend her against the undead. Notes The architecture consists of stone buildings of one or two stories tall. The exterior walls are completely convered in ornate carvings depicting various stories and verses from the Sharakim religion. The carvings are essentially prayers, usually for protection and forgiveness, though prayers for blessings and thanksgiving are also common. One story buildings have no windows, using skylights and vents in their place. Two story buildings have shuttered windows as well as skylights, with the entrances on the second floor. Doors are very solid affairs. The walls surrounding every town are devoid of carvings on the exterior, usually smoothed instead, and are at least two stories tall. Gravesites and crematoriums are always located outside city walls. Category: Setting Category: Cultures